Yieldable support for vibratory mechanisms



Nov. 19, 1946. A. R. MILLER 2,411,333

YIELDABLE SUPPORT FOR VIBRATORY MECHANISMS Original Filed April 8, 1945 ZShgets-Sheet 1 A.E.Miller Nov. 19, 1946. A. R.-MlLLER YIELDABLE SUPPORT FOR VIBRATORY MECHANISMS Original Filed April 8, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M NI,

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Patented Nov. 19, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE YIELDKBLE SUPPORT FOR VIBRATQRY iMECHANISMS Albert Rllvliller, Hialeah, Fla." Original :application l: April '8, 1943, Serial No. 1&82392. Divided and this application May 9, ;.194'5,"Serial No. 592,894

1 Claim. (o1. 24s 20) This invention relates to washing machines used 'for laundering clothes, and. more particularly. to machines of this class which are automatic in their operation, having for its'object to .provide a construction which is sturdy andwelladapted to withstand and/or absorb the considerable amount of .vibrationand strains which are inherent insuch machines during their operation.

With these-and other objects in view, the invention resides in the noveldetails of construction and combinations of parts as will be -disclosed more fully hereinafter and particularly covered by. the claim.

{This application constitutes a division .of my application for. patent. filed April 8, .1943, under the. SerialNo. 482,292 and entitledWashing machine and method -.of washing.

Referring to the accompanying .drawings forming a .part of this specification and in which like numerals designate like parts-in -all the views .Fig. .1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the partsillustrated in-Fig. 4 as seen substantially on the line l-l of that .fig-ure and-looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig.2 is a detail view in-elevation of one of the yieldable connections between the cylinder support and the tub support of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken asn theline 3-.3 of Fig. .2 and lookingin the direction of the arrows; and I i .Fig. 4 is .a front elevational view; partly in section, of the parts shown in Fig; 1. 5

While it is obviously conceivable that this in vention is applicableto anyapparatuscomprising a relatively static ..portion which supports-another portion involving'jmoving parts and/or vibratory elements yet, .for the purpose of exemplification only, the inventionisherein illustrated as applied to the automatic washing machine forming the subject matter. of the applicationufor patent of which this instant application is a division. Consequently the drawings and reference numerals used herein have been copied from the parent application, wherefore all that washeretofore disclosed andydescribed thereinis equally applicable to, and true with respect of, the corresponding constructions illustratedherein. 'fflhat is to say, the numeral .Zdesignates meceptacle which is divided transverselyby a sub.-

stantially vertical partition to form two open top ,2 medium by which the. drained Water moved from the machine.

The receptacle 2 is supported inany convenient manner upon a suitable rigid framework including legssuch as '9 contacting the floor. Horizontally disposed and rigidly interconnected supporting bars constitute a unitary auxiliary frame indi cat'edat Ill, which frame is yieldably carried'by the receptacle-supporting framework,t he yield-- ability achieved in a manner particularly shown iri'Figs. 2 and 3 and comprising springs, the purpose being to mount the moving and/or Vibratory mechanisms of the machine upon the auxiliary frame so as to damp and/or reduce to a minimum the vibrations thereof reaching the floor or the outer "casing.

To this end, eachleg9 securelycarries a bracket or angle iron near its bottom end, the horizontal portions ll of said brackets being substantially in a common plane andperforated so asto'receiye fairly snugly therein a cup l2 the outwardly turned. or .formed upper .edge portion of which cup. rests upon the upper surface of the horizontal bracket portion, as clearly shown in Fig. '3. The bottom, of each cup is centrally .apertured, to receive therethrough a bolt 13 dependin from but supported'by the horizontalflange of a 'bar It! constituting a portion of the auxiliary frame. A coil spring I4 is disposed around each boltliout confined for the most part within said cup,"the upper endof the spring bearing against, the under surface of thesaid lbar flange, andthe lower end of said spring bearing againstthbdttom of said cup.

Each bolt [3 is of a length .to extend below-its associated cup, l2, the lower end of the "boltpassmay bejreing centrally through a saucer-like disk 15 and.

threaded to receive an adjusting .or spring-tensioning nutll6 and lock nut 11. A coil spring. 18 encompasses each cup I2, the .upper end .ofthe spring bearing against the horizontal under surface of the bracket l l,.andthe lower-endof said 'wardly directed forces imparted tothe. auxiliary frame bar 10, andthat the springlB counteracts,

clamps and/or absorbs the upwardly" directed forces imparted to said barli). The rdimensions,

strengths, and other characteristics 10f said sprin s will be made in accordance with :the

forcesexerted by and/or through ;the moving mechanisms supported by the, auxiliary frame.

Associated with each of the tubsandsuppor ted thereby and/or by said framework, are duplicate float-valve boxes indicated at H5 and H6 each in open communication with its respective tub suitable .drain.

as by apipe suchas indicated at I I8. Each box is connected to a source of water s'upplyas sug: gested by the pipe I I9 associated with box I I5.

An ornamental housing generally identified by I the numeral 25 is provided to encase the entire machine, and 29 indicates a latch operating de-.:

, Themeans for rocking the cylindercomprises the reversible electricmotor H, carried by the yieldableframe H], the driving belt 12, and suitable geared connections including a pinion or worm enmeshed with the segmental gear 50 whose various cams control the circuit to said clothes are admitted to and abstractedfrom the machine; The cover carriesan arm'35 the lower end of which is adapted to operate an electric switch not illustrated in detail but generally identified by the rectangle 31, and the numeral 39 indicates an electric conductor for supplying current for operating the machine. I

On one side of the machine, the yieldable frame I is provided with a pair of inclined A-legs such as 45 joined by a gusset plate, and on the other side of the machine the said frame is provided with a duplicate pair of inclined A-legs as indicated at 4'! also joined and strengthened by a similar gusset plate. The two'pairs of A-legs are so disposed on themachine that their upper extremities may provide bearings for a rock shaft 49 extending across the machine in substantially the vertical plane of the partition separating the two tubs, said rock'shaft passing through the side walls of the receptacle 2. An outer end of this rock shaft rigidly carries a segmental gear 50 carrying the cams 52, 53sand 54. .The central portion of the rock shaft has a U-shaped off-set as indicated at 55 to accommodate the sleeve 51 carrying a bevel gear 58 in enmeshment with a bevel pinion 59 carried by a shaft having a bearing in the hollowed section 5| of'said rock'shaft and extending outwardly thereof to receive the pulley 62 driven by thebelt 63 from the pulley fi mounted on the shaft I ll actuated by the electric motor 65 mounted upon the yieldable frame 10.

The sleeve 51 isrigidly secured tothe center ofthe bottom of a cylinder 66 whose circular wall'iis provided with perforations indicated at 6 1, the top of said cylinder having a' central charging opening through which clothes may be placed in and abstracted from said cylinder. Therefore it is to be understood that,-so long as the electric motor 55 is energized, the cylinder 66 will be rotated about the axis of said sleeve 51 by'virtue of the bevel gears Hand 58.

In the drawings the cylinder, is shown in its uppermost or raised position, 'but' it may bellowered into the two tubs previously mentioned through the instrumentality'of said rock shaft, firstinto one tub for soaking the clothes, then intojthe other tub for the washingoperation, thenback into the first tub for the rinsing operamotor.

A rocker cam I30 is actuated by the cam 54 'of the'segmental gear, and through the link [32 operates a crank I36 secured to a rock shaft ada'pte'd to operate flap valves covering the dise tion. In each instance-the, cylinder is given a certain rate of rotationwith respect to the particular tub occupied, is permitted a certain time duration for its immersion in a tub, andfis'permitted "a pause in its orbital rocking path of travel, which pause takes'place whenthecylin- 'der' is in" its uppermost or' raised positionias illustrated) and during which pause therate of its rotation is greatly increased so as toeffect an'extraction'of most of the watercontainedin the clothes, the water thus extracted by centrifugal force being thrown laterally and collect- 7'0 opposite direction.

ed by the trough 25(lwhich islconne'cted ea charge ends of the drain pipes 6 and 1 from the tubs, whereby the tubs are drained automatically of'their liquid contents when the cylinder 66 has been rocked to bring the cam 54 into operating engagement with the rocker cam I30. A spring I54 serves normally to pull the'link I32 downwardly and thereby control a lever connection with crank I36 so that the said flap valves will normally be closed.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the stationary elements of the machine 'are mounted soas to be supported directly on the floor, whereas the moving mechanisms are mounted upon a unitary frame H) which is yield ably supported by the stationary framework of the machine. Hence, all of the vibrations created by the moving mechanisms are damped and/or absorbed by the yieldable connection between said frame and said framework.

Whereas, principally, in the foregoing specification the yieldable connection has been specifically set forth as comprising' mechanical springs of the coil type, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited solely thereto. Other types of mechanical springs could readily be employed; and yieldable sub,-

stances and/O1 material other than such mechanical'springs could likewise be substituted, as for example blocks, cushions'or buffers made of rubber or rubloerlike substances, dash-pots of either pneumatic or hydraulic lprinciple, and adaptations ofwell knownshockaabsorber constructions. Therefore, in the claimthe term spring is to betaken as inclusive of and synonymous with any suitable meanswhich gwillprovide the yieldablel connection 1 between: the 1 stationary frameworkof themachine and the .unitary frame carrying the movable mechanisms; I, 'It is obviousthat thoseskilled in the art. may vary the details of construction and .ar'range merits of parts without departing from the spirit of this invention, wherefore it is'idesiredjnot to be limited to the exact foregoing disclosure except as may be required by theclaim. I

What is-claimed is: I V In an apparatus comprising' relatively static elements and. movable elements, the combination of a rigid framework for supporting the, static elements directly from I the floor, said I framework comprising a cup; an auxiliary f'rame npon which the movable elements are supported, "said force in {one direetion, and the jo t her springien circling said cupand exerting it sgforce in'the 

